The process of defrosting vehicle windows is a well established practice. The spreading of deicing agents on road surfaces in order to dissipate ice (deice), or prevent ice from forming (anti-ice) is a documented and tested practice. Devices used for those applications currently exist both in the air transportation industry and, more recently, on highways and bridges.
Defrost devices that operate when the vehicle is in operation, such as hot air blowers and rear window electrical defoggers, are mounted on many modern vehicles. Handheld devices used to scrape ice from the outside glass surface of vehicle windows are readily available.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,844 to Dale L. Chamberlin represents a remotely-operated vehicle windshield defrost system having the capability of being initiated before the driver enters the vehicle. The windshield may thus be essentially frost-free at the moment the vehicle enters traffic. There is no delay as with conventional defrost systems, which depend on the engine warming up before the defrost action begins.
In order to prevent frost from accumulating on a windshield of a vehicle, Japanese Patent Laid Open 58-17046 discloses an electric circuit where an ambient temperature sensor, a switch responsive to the output of the sensor, and a time relay are provided between a battery and a wiper motor. When the ambient temperature decreases below a predetermined temperature while the vehicle is parked, the sensor, the switch and the time relay are actuated in turn so as to intermittently drive the wiper motor. Thus, the wipers wipe away the frost on the windshield. The above mentioned device keeps ice from forming on the front windshield, however, no defrost mechanism is used on the side or rear windows.
U.S. Pat. 5,447,272 to Bernard J. Ask describes a device for spreading a deicing agent onto any surface upon detection of the onset of icing conditions preventing ice build up. One stated objective of this device is to provide the device in a size suited to its application, i.e., a large device for use on bridges and overpasses, a smaller device for use on parking garage ramps, driveways and a still smaller device for residential walkways and flat surface deicing.
However, no device is known for the spreading of a deicing agent on all the windows of vehicles or aircraft after ice has formed on the windows and/or prevent ice formation by anti-icing the windows. A need exists for improving the safety of both drivers and passengers of moving vehicles by anti-icing and deicing vehicle windows for clear vision prior to operation of the vehicle. The present invention provides a convenient vehicle deicing/anti-icing for the improved comfort and safety of the vehicle operator and passengers. Treating aircraft windows for anti-icing/deicing is contemplated within the scope of this invention.